Kindred by Octavia Butler: The Fall

Join us in The Kindred Dimension Book Club as we journey through Kindred by Octavia E. Butler, exploring a powerful and symbolic chapter: "The Fall". In this session, we’ll explore “The Fall” as a turning point in Dana’s journey where descent is not only physical, but symbolic. This chapter asks us to consider what it means to fall: from safety into danger, from illusion into truth, from control into chaos. As Dana is pulled deeper into the past, we witness the emotional, ethical, and historical weight of her role intensify. What does it mean to lose your footing, not just on the ground, but in your identity, your agency, your understanding of home?
Together, we’ll reflect on how Butler uses this fall to unravel comfort and confront complicity, inviting us to examine how power, fear, and history shape our descent and our response.
Come ready to dive deep, share insights, and uncover the layers between survival and surrender.

Discussion Questions:

1. In “The Fall,” how does the idea of falling operate on more than one level, emotionally, morally, or historically? What does Dana lose or gain in this descent?
2. How does this chapter challenge Dana’s sense of safety and control? In what ways are those themes relevant to us today when confronting history or injustice?
3. What do you think Butler is asking us to consider about the cost of awareness and the burden of memory through Dana’s experience in this chapter?

If you have access to Hulu, I encourage you to watch the episodes that go along with 'the fall' section of the book. Would enjoy hearing your thoughts on how the scene compares to the book.

For the creatives, whether you're writing a book, working on a film, producing a series, or crafting short stories, at the end of the session we will share, discuss, and support each other's projects in a collaborative spirit.